Illuminating projectile.



PATBNTBB EULY 3B, 1906.

w. a. BOSE. ILLUMINATING PROJEGTILE.

APSLIUATIGE FILED APR. 3. 1901.

wuemloz In ill-P PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

W. H. ROSE.

ILLUMINATING PROJBGTILB.

APPLIUATIOH FILED APR. 3. 1901.

3 8HEETB-SHEET 3.

Mm, @I m mmmm Queenie;

Ira-v2 UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. ROSE, or .sziermoss, MARYLAND, Assissos TO THE MARiNE "roses COMPANY or BALTIMORE crrr, OF BALTIMORE,

MARYLAND.

no. serene.

ILLUMINATING enoasorus.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed April 3,1901. Serial No 54437.

Te (mil whom it may concern.-

- Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. Rose, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Beltimore, State of Ms; land, have invented eertein'new end'usefu Improvements in Illuminatin Proieetiles, of which the following is a spec cation. 1 V This invention consists in an improved illuminating projectile ads ted to be fired from a gun to a considereb e distance and to float upon the water end produce a brilliant light for a considerable period after reaching its destination,

' The projectile is provided with a charge hf illuminating-gee or material for producing illuminating-gas and with means for automatically i niting the gas and reigniting it sl umld it b ecorne eceidentelly extin uished.

The perticoiasfestsres constituting this invention will he specifically described in connection with theeeeompanying drawings,

* 3 is a central section projectile. Fig. 4 is'an end el in whieh- I w i'gure l is a side View of a. projectile 'embodylng the invention. Fig. 2 is a, central sectional view of the projectile proper. Fig.

ovation partly: in section, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the forward end of the progesteg: Fig-r 6 is a, section entire line 6 6 of 7 is a. detail of oneof the born- 7 era. Fi 8 is a detail of one of the waterw l et' trsting: a. 35-

. ens-resis ed scal i 9iss vie1vsimiisr"to Fig; 2, illus- 'fierent form of the invention. F 10 is an enlarged, detail viewiof a, portion oi Fig; llisia'seetion on line 11 11 of 9 Fig. .iz -is-os'ection on line 12- 12 of Fig.

eRejehing tO the drex s, the bodv 1 of the shell; referebly-eons s of a steel tube ofproper ength'drewn in toforni a eenoidai head 2 and having an iiiWerdlY-tnrfied flange "gormeddntegrel with the s ell annnier platform 4, upon which the burners 5 are situe steg end a roentrsle pupal within which; the lyesse l 5'2- ;fol; the igniting 'meterial 8 is con-g La. wirepg m firp ffl flptongil; wliiehiprevents dirt from clogging the burners on the inside.

view of the tail of the Within the threaded socket, on the upper side of the burners, fits a suitable tip 12.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the igniting material 8, which preferably consists of lumps of phosphid of calcium, is contained in a vessel 7, of sheet meted, attached to a disk 13, having a threaded peri hery which is screwedinto the zipper en of the cup 6 in the end of the sheli. The disk or cover 13 is provided with one or more outlets is, which are nor-really closed by seals 15, the seals being adopted to be torn off when it is desired to use the sheii, as viii be hereinafter described. l.he coi er they also be provided with an angular projection I6 toenable the cup 7 to be readily removed and replaced by means of an ordinary wrench. V w v v Asilingtrsted in Fig. 2, the shell is charged with ,esibidof calcium I7, h oselypieeed therein; in the side of the shell, and preferehlji'sbovethe carbid, are openings 18 to admit water. It has been found: that" when shellsof this class have been stored for some time the dampness of the contained sir wiii genesis small portion of acety ene gas,

vh iii iningles with the air, forming Ienexpiosive eoin'pound In firing the projectilesthe issue from the charge of powder will occasionally enter through these water in-lets if they are not pro erly constrlieted andexlode the gas wit :1, damaging the shell. o prevent the flame from entering, the inlets are preferably constructed "as iiiust'rateddm Fig. 8. In said figure, 18 indicates the-(ioniplete device. Thrsis com seed of a socketed receptacle 19, hersziegis t eaded shank-'20 prqeeting from its ease, which is serewed into on opening in the sideof thesheilsnd through which extends a smeiiopsning or perforation 2!. The interior fiftke'reeeptaele is thresded to reeeive the stresses shank of ail-inner plug or egp22gthxmigh which there areone or moressnel'l openings 23 out of registerwith' g -21; Between the-farts 19 and r H eerthepsrt 224s resets placed a second' sereen ss,

b th; 7 or the expose of preventing the -eerbid-er other oos matensl the shell not penetrate messes-e11 o enings 2-1 23,

ehdir'r ternaleirplesioms ere-the e jpi'evehted.

:The base the shell-comprises e ring 'fid fitting snugly-within the sheli and egsinst 5 with freedom to turnon the stock 31. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4. the vanes 32 are the flange 3, and a into the ring 26. I tween them the flange 3 and a lead ring 28, having a projecting portion which forms a gascheck to prevent windage. The rmg 26 is securely connected to the shell by suitable rivets or other fastenings. The plug 27 1s detachable, bein provided with a nut 29, by means of whic i it maybe readily removed and replaced. The lug is preferably hollow to provide a lig 1t construction and is provided with openings 30 to permit the plug 27, which is screwed inlets 18 or 44, the burner-openings, and the 'l he parts 26 27 clamp beopenings to the phosphid vessel must be sc *curely sealed from the atmosphere. This ,or vessel.

can be accomplished satisfactorllv by inclosing the entire device in a scaled metal can It is preferable, however, to arrange the shell so that it may be charged s ent carbid to drain from the mass of carbid 1 a ove.

The projectile is provided with a tail, pref erably comprising a tube 31, screwed into a socket in the plug 27, and a series of vanes or wings 32. It has been found that these wings or vanes, if rigidly attached to the tailstock 31, will become twisted or bent in the act of firing. This is presumed to be due either to the rapid rotation of the shell when fired from a rifled gunor to eddies in the ases produced, due to the rifling. This trou le is avoided by mounting the vanes 32 united by circular portions 33. which partly encircle the tail-stock, the circular portion of each wing or vane having a flange 34, which is securely fastened to theadjacent wing. The arts form a tube which [its losoely on tie tail-stock and rotates freely thereon, being confined endwise between a collar 35 and a cap or nut 36. The cap 36 serves to hold the vanes on the stock and also to close the end ofthe stock, which is Pr fer b y a a In Figs. 9,10, 1 1, and 12 is illustrated another form of the invention differing in detail of, construction from that above described; Referring to these-figures, the shell Ja -contains an inner air-tight chamber 37, preferably composed of light metal and provided with a central tube 38 to ermit the gas to pass from the base of the s ell to the urners. The shell terminates at the forward end in an annular flange 39. U on this flange is a ring 40, having a depending inner flange 41. As shown, the flange 39 and the ring 40 are united by the shanks of the burners 5. The head 13 of the phosphid vessel is united to the-flange 41 by a screwjoint. The vessel itself may be a light metal cup securely attached to this head. The head is provided with a nut and with normally sealed openings similar to those shown in the preceding figures. Within the lower end of the shell is a cartridge 42, consisting of carbid of calcium inclosed in wire-gauze or other open fabric. The base of the shell is substantially thesame as that shown in Fig. 2. The carbid of calcium'and phosphid of calcium may be permanently stored in the shell ready for use. In such case the watercarbid bv simply removing the ing been once used.

with the phosphid and carbid at or about the time it is to be used. The shellsillustrated in the drawings are ada ted to be thus charged and recharged, if esired, after hav- For instance, the shell shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be charged with lug 27 by j means of a wrench and the attac led nut 29,

the plug being re laced after the proper amount of carbid 0 calcium has been placed within the shell. It is intended that the phosphid of calcium shall be furnished in cups 7 with screw-tops 13, the openings 14 bemg sealed, as shown at 15. To make the shell ready for use, a phosphidcup is connected by screwing it into thehead of the shell and the seals 15 are removed.

In the form shown in Fig. 9 the phosphid is supplied to the shell as above described. The carbid is supplied in the form of a cartridge containing the proper amount for the charge. 7 In this form the tube 38 is preferably uarded by a screen 43, which serves to ho ld the carbid cartridge in place. In this form of the invention the inner steel cup 6 and the inlet devices 18 of Fig. 2 are omitted and simple perforations 44 admit water.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The projectile is thrown from a gun with a moderate charge of powder, the amount depending upon the distance to which it is to be projected. As the shell plunges under the water the latter enters the phosphid-cup through the openings 14, the seals 15 having been removed. Phosphureted hydrogen is generated by the action of the water upon the phosphid of calcium, which gas issuing from the o enings 14 takes fire as it reaches the atmosp ere. The shell will float upright and the water will enter the inlets 18. or 44 and fall upon the carbid of calcium, thus eneratin acetylene as. The gas will issue from the urners 5 an be ignited by the phosphureted hydrogen, the effect being a brilliant flame which will illuminate the water and adjacent objects bri htly.

aving described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pate ent,1s-

1. An illuminating projectile comprising a cylindrical shell having burners and an automatic igniter at its forward end, a removable plug in its rear end, normally closing an opening through which a char e of carbid maybe introduced into the shefi, means for retaining the carbid at the rear end of the shell, closedlfloat-chamberlbctweengsaid rej hination with the cylindnca shell, the burn taining means and the forward end of the shell 'and a conduit for conducting gas from the carbid to the-burners. I

2. The combination with a floatable' shell having burners and compartments for an igniter and for carbid of: calcium, of devices for admitting water to the carbid of calcium, each comprising two parts havilli'g email perforations therethrough, the pe orations in said two parts being out of register.

3. In an'illuminating projectile, the com bination of a shell having burners an igjniter h car id oi and a com artment char ed wit eyices, each come rising a socketed rece tacle ha y a shank fitting an opening in t e shell, a-p g fitting into said receptacle and a screen etwee said plu and t e base of the receptacle, said receptac e and plug haying perforations therethrough which are out of register with each other- 4. In an illiiminating profectile, the comcalcium, 0 water inlet ers, and the ignites, of a ring fixedlwithin the base of the she] nected to the ring and forming a ermanently a plug eon part of the -shell, and a tail-piece comprising .a shank attached to said said shank. l

5, In an illuminating pro'ectile, the coinbination'with the cylindrical shell the burners, andthe i niter, of a ring ri idly connected to the shell within the base t ereof, a pin screwin into said ring and closing the end plug and snitablewings on of the s ell, and a soft-metal ring or gasket closing the joint between said plug and ring project e.

p the phosphid-compartment in its forward and proectmg to form a gas-check for the 6. .In an illuminating projectile, the combination of the shell having the burners and end, and an inturned flange at its rear end,

of a. collar within the shell, a plug fitting into said collar to close the base of the shell, :1.

'ashell, burners on the. forward snitahle winged connected to said plug,

shell, 9; dosed float-chamber between the earbid-eherhher and the burners, having therein a conduit leading from the carbide chamber to the upper end of the shell, and

means for admitting water tothe carbidchinihen- 9. An illu'minating projectile comprising end of the shell, a Iphosphiii-ignite:- at the forward end of the s ell, a charge of carbid near the rear end of the shell, "and a closed float-chamber within the shell in advance of theicha e of carbid and having. a the carbid to the burners.

10. An iliuminatin projectilecornprising forward end of the a shell, burners on t shell, a hosphid-igniter on the forward endof the s elh'a closed float-chamber within the shell having through it'from end to end, a removable plug normsil 'elosing the rear end of.the she I, and ac arge of carbid ofcalcium eonfined within the shell between the said float-chamber. N

In testimony whereof I affix my signature plug and in presence of two witnesses. g

p H.'ROSE.

I Witnes es:

'Jmns A. WATSON, 1 Geo. Team".

a gas-passage extending passage leading romfib 

